The Carefree Desert Gardensis hosting a pumpkin fest this year and there is a schedule of events for family fun. Some of the days provide opportunities to watch sculptors at work creating their special brand of Jack-O-Lanterns. You can find more information by clicking here.

This is part three of a three part series about the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival. You can read the other posts here:

Part I, Part II

One of the more interesting venues at the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival is the ability to watch expert pumpkin sculptors at work. There is ample seating and shade for a good number of spectators so find your holiday inspiration here.

A few of the carved pumpkins were quite whimsical and interesting. The appendages, it is noted, are not made of natural materials because they would be difficult to maintain and fashion according to need.

A very clever displays is the one with the pumpkins diving off of a high stone wall into a bucket of water. Ooops! Apparently one pumpkin missed.

Of course this is not to take away from the more artistic, if not serious, offerings.

The planners put a lot of thought into this production as evidenced by the pumpkin picnic scene which is partially shown in the pictures below.

Once again, I should mention the ever present gardens which are beautiful in their own right and what desert planting cannot be improved with some nested pumpkins?

It is not easy being a pumpkin at this time of the year so after putting on such an interesting show, I think you will agree that these pumpkins have earned a good rest!

*NOTE: The pumpkins in the scenes were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.

Our previous post (see it here) about the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival provided a good overview of what you might find at the exhibit. In our second post we will follow up with more posed pumpkin scenes…*

Such as this Motorcycle pumpkin daredevil with feet flying behind as he ramps over his “volunteers.” Is that pumpkin all the way to the left praying?

Pushing your special pumpkin friend on a swing is always a fun activity.

Or perhaps you would rather go for a wheelbarrow ride, but I don’t suggest being too pumpkin bossy!

This pumpkin looks persnickety as he is walking his gourd dog!

For that very special pumpkin in your life, roasting marshmallows together is a very Halloween thing to do,

But try to ignore the eerie looking toadstools growing at the left end of the log!

Scootering is one way to travel around the festival to visit your pumpkin buddies.

Golf appears to be a very difficult sport for pumpkins.

Halloween mischief may be at hand with at least one pumpkin spotted with a slingshot.

Carving pumpkins can create a mess and someone needs to help clean up.

And after the cleanup, there is time for a siesta!

Of course don’t forget there are gardens to look at as well and I must explain that they have some very unusual “crested” cactus like the one pictured below. Also look for the large crested saguaro which is quite rare.

*It is noted that the pumpkins in the scenes were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.

Just because we have temperatures over 100 degrees in the month of October doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate Halloween. That holiday is alive and well in the Sonoran Desert and the town of Carefree, AZ is in a spooky mood!

The Carefree Desert Gardensis hosting a pumpkin fest this year and there is a schedule of events for family fun. Some of the days provide opportunities to watch sculptors at work creating their special brand of Jack-O-Lanterns. You can find more information by clicking here.

To preserve the carved pumpkins, they are treated with a brine mixture and some are submerged in brine containers. In the picture below, for example, there is an artificial saguaro cactus containing a brine-filled glass container housing a carved pumpkin. Signs warn that although the saguaro may be fake, the needles are real; one way to discourage touching!

In the close up you will notice that there is a highlight at the top which is created by a blacklight. The gardens are open after dark and my assumption is the lighting adds to the mystery of the presentation.

There were many carvings in brine such as this bulldog

a ferocious wolf

an Imp

and a devilish character!

*Other exhibits include pumpkins posed in human-like activities:

There was a William Tell wannabe and his target friend (not pictured),

It’s not easy being a pumpkin the desert so a nap is required every now and then

or perhaps a break relaxing by the pool.

There are more than just pumpkins. There are witches hats although not the standard black issue.

Of course it is all about the carving by master pumpkin carver Ray Villafane.

*It is noted that the pumpkins not enclosed in brine were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.